Ethics and Economics: merging individualism and collectiveness

Many people believe that economics and ethics cannot go hand in hand. This presentation aims to show that not only these two notions can go together but also that, in most cases, they do. Using examples and data from the evolution of humanity the last few millennia and focusing on the last two centuries, the presentation demonstrates the main condition behind the continuous rise of human welfare: freedom. Freedom gives birth to responsibility and responsibility calls for accountability. It is no coincidence that the unprecedented economic growth of the last two centuries follows an unprecedented rise of freedom. Institutions are another main condition for socio-economic welfare. Institutions play a crucial role in organizing society and letting human creativity free to improve all aspects of human life. It is important for humanity, if it wishes to keep improving the living conditions of billions of people and reducing poverty around the globe, to understand the nature and the quality of institutions that preserve freedom and boost prosperity.